A boring new day.

Well, I've been accused in the past of taking threads off-topic, but this one really takes the biscuit.

tonym posted:

Well, I've been accused in the past of taking threads off-topic, but this one really takes the biscuit.

tonym posted:

Well, I've been accused in the past of taking threads off-topic, but this one really takes the biscuit.

It ok, Tony. We can tolerate it in bite sized chunks. 

I like those biscuits with the cows on.

Hungryhalibut posted:

 

Sorry, I’m becoming boring I know. I’m just really looking forward to it. I promise not to mention it again. I don’t get out much!

No we are all wanting to hear more about Milan, including what you are going to do about the fact that all the best Italian shoe shops for women are there and Hilary might find herself wanting a pair of the 555PS of the shoe world, unless you can contrive to keep her mind elsewhere!

Enjoy anyway.

best

David

My red-headed friend recently demoed the Nova and didn't like it but he is just a ginger nut.

I guess I need to digest(iv) this information and decide if I want to hear a Nova for myself.

If Max's dealer manages to avoid using NACA5 and is lucky enough to sell Naim gear with Nordost, then he might deserve the title 'Jammie Dodger'.

(I can hear my comic hero Tommy turning in his grave)

I'll stop there and get me coat.

As for cake I definately prefer home made

DBS-Al posted:

I like those biscuits with the cows on.

Squashed ones?

I've always been a bit jammie but I'm not going to dodge this thread but crumbs.....all this talk about biscuits.... It's not Nice....

Hungryhalibut posted:

Crumbs, you lot do like eating crap. I’ve been dieting to get into my suit for going to the opera next week in Milan, and evil biscuits have been expelled from the house. Hopefully we are lunching with Massimo on Monday - I hope we can find pasta with tartufo rather than pasta alla oreo. 

Nigel,

for a great pasta with tartufo we'd have to do a supplementary trip to a delightful place in Barolo, Langhe. If you and Hilary are ready for a dedicated day...

Max

Its a shame you were underwhelmed to such an extent. I respect your opinion, not everyone can share the same taste. 

Custard creams 

Well, this is part of what I wrote of the Nova:

The Nova is just the opposite of its dad, the SuperUniti: limpid, pleasing, detailed and full of 3D imaging. Gentle and jolly in character, mildly exuberant

I wouldn't call this 'underwhelmed to such an extent'. I only said that the Nova sounded to me like nothing resembling the last 40 years of Naim. I add that I never found anything interesting in the SU (I owned it, not just heard it) so my impression of the Nova was not exactly negative. Many will love it, and with good reasons. I was underwhelmed by the Neats: I expected more personality from them, but after 12 uninterrupted years of Naim speakers including 2 pairs of SBLs, 5 pairs of N-Sats, 1 of Arivas, Credos, 2 pairs of S-400s and a careful listen of Allaes, expecting personality from any other speaker will be a chimera, so I don't even start going after it.

That said, many will love (and already do) the Neats, for which I have the greatest respect. It's simply that – and I have written this years ago – the Naim that still keeps hundreds of us here at the f***ing keyboard has started going when the Uniti came in and the Sats went out. Now it's something different, with another sound and another target. I have the same hands as my father and my grandfather. But I am different (thank god).

Best,

Max

Max_B posted:

for a great pasta with tartufo we'd have to do a supplementary trip to a delightful place in Barolo, Langhe...

Max

oh, man. you Italians got the life, amigo.

may i ask the name of this place?

Of course you can, and – to be a little pedantic – it's amico. The place is called Brezza. They have their vines, their wine, their cellars and a very very pleasant family restaurant with a large terrace for sunny Sundays' after lunch naps looking on the hills, and even a few rooms.

Oreste Brezza, the man behind the wine.

M

Well I was last week in Vimercate (NE Milan), lovely Tartufo bianco menu...

thanks, Max. i'm making a mental bookmark for the next time we're in Milano. 

(and i think this is a funny case of cultural crosscurrents -- we Americans say amigo pretty frequently!)

Interesting post, Max.

Nostalgia of better times or simply better sounds? Naim Audio was an arcane delight in days of yore. The wonders of the interweb and social meedja have brought about a sea-change with many more folk discovering the sonic delights of the marque. Largely, a good thing.

Trouble is; Naim has had to move with the times and therein (perhaps) lies the rub. New stuff is now developed and released on a regular basis to keep the company fiscally viable. The days of living off a classic amplifier design for 20 years are gone.

Us old farts will recall the introduction of such ground-breaking products as the Hi-Cap and the 135 and their impact - not to mention the lust factor when the necessary funds were not available for purchase thereof.

I recall a real frisson when along came the Ittok for the LP12, and even the humble and inexpensive Basik cartridge. It might have been a bit hairy round the edges but my goodness; the boogie factor was phenomenal and the music came alive. I don't hear much new kit which really lights a fire under me any more.

A major problem for audiophiles nowadays is the often shockingly poor mastering of the bulk of popular music as it is dumbed-down for mass-market consumption. I'm astonished when contributors here talk of using the likes of Tidal as a high-fidelity source.

Falling standards and expectations?

I've been playing some 12" singles from the 70's and 80's of late and it doesn't get any better than that for me. I've yet to hear anything hi-res in the digital domain which gets close. The audiophile has in my opinion, been poorly served by technology (and market forces) in terms of absolute sound quality.

More is less?

Anyway my dear Max; take heart and enjoy the music. I hope we do not have to apply Dr Johnson's famous quote about London to your audiophile enjoyment.

John.

I wish you can visit Brezza. Consider it's about 2 hours drive from Milano. But at least you'd see Piemonte, my home region.

M

(Yes, I know, it must go back to Nova and Neats now).

J.N. posted:

Interesting post, Max.

Nostalgia of better times or simply better sounds? Naim Audio was an arcane delight in days of yore. The wonders of the interweb and social meedja have brought about a sea-change with many more folk discovering the sonic delights of the marque. Largely, a good thing.

Trouble is; Naim has had to move with the times and therein (perhaps) lies the rub. New stuff is now developed and released on a regular basis to keep the company fiscally viable. The days of living off a classic amplifier design for 20 years are gone.

Us old farts will recall the introduction of such ground-breaking products as the Hi-Cap and the 135 and their impact - not to mention the lust factor when the necessary funds were not available for purchase thereof.

I recall a real frisson when along came the Ittok for the LP12, and even the humble and inexpensive Basik cartridge. It might have been a bit hairy round the edges but my goodness; the boogie factor was phenomenal and the music came alive. I don't hear much new kit which really lights a fire under me any more.

A major problem for audiophiles nowadays is the often shockingly poor mastering of the bulk of popular music as it is dumbed-down for mass-market consumption. I'm astonished when contributors here talk of using the likes of Tidal as a high-fidelity source.

Falling standards and expectations?

I've been playing some 12" singles from the 70's and 80's of late and it doesn't get any better than that for me. I've yet to hear anything hi-res in the digital domain which gets close. The audiophile has in my opinion, been poorly served by technology (and market forces) in terms of absolute sound quality.

More is less?

Anyway my dear Max; take heart and enjoy the music. I hope we do not have to apply Dr Johnson's famous quote about London to your audiophile enjoyment.

John.

 

very interesting post - but as I type this I am listening to music with a humble Chord Mojo with a Chord interconnect, and it boogies ....   my previous Naim DAC v1 did the same...

Not sure the Naim sound is gone..... the latest kit still boogies for me.

analogmusic posted:

Max has in the past said his dealer doesn't encourage NACA5 and only will sell Naim with Nordost cables.

On that basis, what does one expect? 

Analogmusic, you would be surprised. Nordost Heimdall 2 is very nice indeed. The power cable is truly a sweet spot, especially if you pair it with a Chord source.

J.N. posted:

Anyway my dear Max; take heart and enjoy the music. I hope we do not have to apply Dr Johnson's famous quote about London to your audiophile enjoyment.

John.

Thanks. The quote is 240 years old, though. BTW, my audiophile enjoyment is currently higher than in most of the last 10 years. Would you think I'm a fool if I corrected the famous quote into: who's tired of life is tired of life?

Max

M37 posted:

analogmusic posted:

Max has in the past said his dealer doesn't encourage NACA5 and only will sell Naim with Nordost cables.

On that basis, what does one expect? 

Analogmusic, you would be surprised. Nordost Heimdall 2 is very nice indeed. The power cable is truly a sweet spot, especially if you pair it with a Chord source.

That said, I still prefer Naim standard mains cable.

Glad to hear it Max.

I suppose I'm essentially railing against mass-market mediocrity and the rapid rate of change - not all of it necessarily for the better.

The upside is that (and this is the big one!) if the source material and equipment is up to snuff; modestly priced kit has never sounded better.

John.

Is this really happening or am I going to wake up later?

I feel the padded cell is threatening (unless Richard has the weekend off).

best

David